The first eclipse was a servant of an ancient lord of darkness whose influence spread across the strands of the Lattice and stretched to many planes of existence. Whether this dark lord was a daeva whose powers were particularly attuned to darkness, a powerful vizier who transcended mortality, or perhaps even a true god is unknown, but what is known is that wherever his servant walked, death followed. Legend has it that the servant turned against their master in a battle that shattered strands of the Lattice and left the dark lord trapped in a plane beyond the reach of even the gods. Free at last from their master’s influence, the eclipse used the paths of shadow to travel the planes as they willed. Over time, they gathered students and disciples who followed them on their journeys, learning the secrets of their dark power and eventually taking those secrets with them on their own journeys. While the powers and techniques of the eclipse are no longer unique, they are still exceedingly rare, as they can only be accessed by those whose hearts truly hear the call of darkness.

Starting Wealth: 4d6x10 gp (average 140 gp).

Role: The eclipse is a deadly opponent who can strike from almost anywhere on the battlefield using their occultations. Outside of combat the eclipse masters numerous skills for overcoming almost any obstacle.

Alignment: An eclipse can be of any alignment, but their power comes from infusing their life force with the power of pure darkness, and this power, devoid of light and warmth, often calls to evil and neutrally aligned creatures.

Proficiencies

Eclipses are proficient with simple weapons, plus the hand crossbow, longsword, rapier, sap, shortbow, short sword, shuriken and sword cane. The eclipse is proficient with bucklers, but not any other type of armor or shield.

Veilweaving

An eclipse learns to shape the magical power known as akasha into powerful veils, which are drawn from the eclipse veil list. They know and can shape any veil from this list. The DC for a saving throw against a veil’s abilities is 10 + the number of points of essence invested in the veil + the eclipse’s Intelligence modifier. They can only shape a certain number of veils per day (see eclipse class table). Veils are constructs of pure magic and are suppressed while in the area of an antimagic field or similar phenomena.

At 1st level the eclipse also gains access to their own personal pool of essence, which can be invested into veils and other receptacles to increase their power. The pool of available essence is listed in the eclipse’s class table; the eclipse’s character level, as noted in the Akasha and Magic Interactions section, determines the maximum quantity of essence they can invest in any single veil. As a swift action, they can reallocate their essence investments into their veils every round. An eclipse must have a good night’s rest and must meditate for one hour to prepare her veils for the day.

Darkvision

Starting at 1st level, the eclipse gains darkvision out to 60 feet; if they already have darkvision, it is increased by 30 feet. This increase stacks with other effects that increase the range of the eclipse’s darkvision. The eclipse may invest essence into this ability to increase its effects; for every point of essence invested, the range of the eclipse’s darkvision increases by an additional 20 feet. At 4th level, and again at 12th level, the eclipse increases the maximum essence capacity of this ability by 1. If the eclipse has at least 4 points of essence invested in this ability, they gain the supernatural ability to see in darkness and can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, including that created by deeper darkness. If the eclipse has at least 7 points of essence invested in this ability, they are immune to the blinded and dazzled conditions and gain a +5 competence bonus on all saving throws against gaze effects.

Occultation (Su)

From 1st level on, as a standard action the eclipse can create a copy of their self made of pure darkness, known as an occultation. This umbral copy appears in a square adjacent to the eclipse and acts immediately on the eclipse’s turn. The occultation shares all of the eclipse’s statistics (including size and weight), movement speeds, and abilities, including equipped items and veils (but not consumable or limited use items such as potions, wands, and scrolls), but is instantly destroyed if it takes any damage or fails a saving throw against any spell or effect. The eclipse can switch their perceptions freely between their self and the occultation on their turn, determining their line of sight and other senses from the occultation’s location, speaking through the occultation, and using the occultation as the point of origin for any attack, veil ability, skill check, or other effect the eclipse is capable of using or creating. The occultation has only a single move action each turn (though the eclipse can use their own standard action for channeling attacks and effects through the occultation) and can threaten enemies for flanking or even making attacks of opportunity, though any attacks of opportunity it makes count against the eclipse’s total number of attacks of opportunity for the round. The occultation can be dismissed as a free action. If the occultation is ever more than 50 ft. + 50 ft. per class level away from the eclipse, it immediately dissipates and must be conjured again (a standard action).

As long as the eclipse does not have an active occultation the raw power of darkness shrouds them, granting them an armor bonus to AC, and a competence bonus to Stealth checks while in areas of dim or darker light, equal to half their class level (minimum 1).

Enigma (Su)

Enigmas blend the power of darkness with martial techniques or enhance the power of veils, allowing the eclipse to strike an opponent unseen, cut through reality to strike creatures who hide between the worlds, and a wide variety of other abilities. Enigmas can be used whenever the eclipse makes an attack action or uses a targeted veil ability (any effect from a veil that requires you to select one or more targets for the effect, but not effects that affect an area) against an opponent who is flat-footed, flanked, denied their Dexterity bonus to AC, or who is unaware of the eclipse’s presence. If the weapon or veil attack misses, or if the target succeeds on their save against the veil effect, the effects of the enigma are wasted. If the veil effect grants multiple attack rolls, only one attack roll needs to connect to deliver the enigma's effects. The eclipse can only apply the effects of a single enigma on a given attack action or veil ability activation; if a veil grants multiple attacks against a single target as part of its activation, only one attack benefits from the enigma’s effects. At 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter the eclipse learns one of the following enigmas:

Channeled Shadowstrike

Chilling Blow

The eclipse’s attack or targeted veil effect deals an additional 4 points of cold damage, plus an additional 3 points for every 3 class levels they possess beyond 2nd. This additional damage is multiplied on a critical hit.

Dimmed Mind

The eclipse’s attack or targeted veil effect deals 1 point of Wisdom damage, plus 1 point of Wisdom damage for every 3 class levels they possess beyond 6th. The eclipse must be at least 6th level to select this enigma.

Disrupting Attack

The eclipse’s attack or targeted veil effect clouds the pathways of the targets mind, inflicting a –2 penalty to all concentration checks the target makes for one round. If the target has martial or psionic focus, or if they are currently in a stance from a maneuver or style feat, it is lost unless they succeed on a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 the eclipse’s class level + her Intelligence modifier). If the target has more than one applicable focus or stance, they must make a separate saving throw for each effect. For every 3 class levels the eclipses possesses beyond 2nd, the penalty to concentration checks and the save DC to avoid losing their focus or stance increases by 1.

Draining Blow

The eclipse learns to feed on an opponent’s power, making it her own. The eclipse’s next attack or targeted veil effect drains one of the following from the target and converts it into energy that heals 1 point of essence burn or provides 1 point of temporary essence (maximum 5 points of temporary essence gained through this ability) if the eclipse is not currently suffering from essence burn: a single 1st level memorized spell or spell slot, an arcane pool point, a point of essence, a ki point, a grit pool point, or a power point (other points or pools may qualify at GM discretion). For every 3 class levels the eclipse possesses beyond 2nd, the number of points drained or the maximum spell level that can be drained increases by 1; for psionic power points, the amount drained is instead increased by 2. Temporary essence gained through this ability lasts for 1 minute.

Escalation

Creatures affected by an attack or targeted veil effect modified by this enigma gain a +2 enhancement bonus to either their Strength or Dexterity score (chosen by the eclipse when this effect is activated) and a –2 penalty to their Wisdom score (this cannot lower a creature’s Wisdom below 1); this effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to 1 + the eclipse’s Intelligence modifier. Additional activations of this ability reset the effect’s duration but do not further increase the bonus or penalty. For every 3 class levels the eclipses possesses beyond 2nd, the bonuses and penalties from this effect increase by 2.

Growing Darkness

This enigma can only be activated in conjunction with a targeted veil effect. Activating this enigma allows you to activate the triggering targeted veil effect a second time against the affected target; this second activation cannot be modified by further enigmas. The eclipse must be at least 10th level to select this enigma. Inescapable Doom: The eclipse gains a +1 profane bonus on the attack roll of her attack or targeted veil effect, plus an additional +1 for every 3 class levels they possess beyond 2nd.

Muffled Darkness

The eclipse’s attack or targeted veil effect causes the target to be deafened for 1 round, or increases the duration of targeted veil effects that cause the deafened condition by 1 round. The duration of this effect is increased by 1 round for every 3 class levels the eclipse possesses beyond 2nd.

Occular Umbrage

The eclipse’s attack or targeted veil effect causes the target to be blinded for 1 round, or increases the duration of targeted veil effects that cause the blinded condition by 1 round. The duration of this effect is increased by 1 round for every 3 class levels the eclipse possesses beyond 6th. The eclipse must be at least 6th level to select this enigma.

Pass Into Shadow

The eclipse’s attack or targeted veil effect causes the target to die if they fail a Fortitude saving throw (DC 18 + the eclipse’s Intelligence modifier). This does not affect undead, constructs, or other nonliving targets. The eclipse must be at least 16th level to select this enigma.

Potent Shadows

This enigma can only be activated in conjunction with a targeted veil effect. The eclipse increases the DC to resist her targeted veil effect by 1, plus 1 for every 3 class levels they possess beyond 2nd. Shadowed Reach: The eclipse increases the natural reach of her melee weapon attack by 5 feet. For for every 3 class levels the eclipse possesses beyond 2nd, increase this reach by 5 feet.

Trapfinding

An eclipse adds 1/2 their class level (minimum 1) to Perception checks made to locate traps and to Disable Device checks. An eclipse can use Disable Device to disarm magical traps.

Chakra Binds

At 3rd level and every three levels thereafter, the eclipse gains the ability to bind veils directly to their chakra, unlocking potent new abilities. The eclipse gains the ability to bind slots in the following order: Hands, Feet, Head, Wrists, Shoulders, and Belt.

Advanced Occultation (Su)

At 5th, 11th, and 17th level, the eclipse gains additional facility with their occultation. Advanced occultations can only be used while the eclipse has an active occultation on the field. The eclipse gains the following advanced occultations.

Dark Walk

From 5th level on, whenever the eclipse creates their occultation it can appear anywhere within 60 ft. of them. In addition, the eclipse’s occultation gains a fly speed of 60 ft. with perfect maneuverability and can teleport to any area of dim or darker light within 100 ft. it has line of sight to as a move action.

Binary Darkness

At 11th level, whenever the eclipse creates an occultation, they may make two copies of themselves instead of one. Each of these copies still has all the abilities of the eclipse and can only take a single move action, but the eclipse may now use a swift action to activate an attack action or veil ability that would normally require a standard action through one of their occultations.

Black Hole

Starting at 17th level whenever one of the eclipse’s occultations is destroyed, either due to taking damage or failing a saving throw, it collapses into a pit of crushing darkness. All creatures within 20 ft. of the destroyed occultation must succeed on a Reflex saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 the eclipses’s class level + their Intelligence modifier) or be moved to the closest square to the occultation’s last location they are capable of occupying and take 10d6 bludgeoning damage and 10d6 cold damage; on a successful saving throw creatures are unmoved and take only 5d6 cold damage.

Shadow Armor (Su)

At 7th, 13th, and 19th level the eclipse gains special benefits as long they do not have an active occultation. Creating an occultation immediately ends any of these benefits, though they resume as soon as the eclipse no longer has an active occultation.

Hide in Plain Sight

Starting at 7th level, as long as the eclipse does not currently have an active occultation, they can use the Stealth skill even while being observed. As long as they are within 10 ft. of an area of dim or darker light, the eclipse can hide their self from view in the open without anything to actually hide behind. They cannot, however, hide in their own shadow.

Shadow Walk

From 13th level on, the eclipse gains the ability to travel between areas of dim light or darkness as if by means of a dimension door spell, though the magical transport must begin and end in an area of dim light or darkness. In addition, the eclipse can use shadow walk 1/ day as a spell-like ability with a caster level equal to their class level, plus 1 additional time per day for every three levels they possess beyond 13th.

Second Life

At 19th level, whenever the eclipse would be reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by an attack, spell, or other effect, they may choose to consume a portion of their darkness energy to instantly regain up to 60 hit points as an immediate action, even if the damage taken would normally be enough to kill them. If the attack would have killed the eclipse, as long as their new hit point total is at a positive amount or a negative amount less than their Constitution score, the eclipse stays alive and stabilizes at their new hit point total. If the eclipse's hit point total is at a negative amount equal to or greater than their Constitution score, they remain dead. Using this ability prevents the eclipse from creating an occultation until their next rest of at least 8 hours.

Improved Essence Capacity

The eclipse’s connection to the powers of darkness have made them particularly talented at investing essence. At 8th and 14th level the maximum essence capacity of all their essence receptacles increases by 1.

Dark Intensity

From 10th level on the eclipse may shape and bind an additional veil in either their Hands or Feet slot, chosen when they shape their veils for the day. This veil still counts against their total veils shaped and must be invested with essence separately from any other veil shaped in that slot. In addition, the eclipse gains a special ability depending on which slot they choose to shape their additional veil in (if any). Eclipses who choose to shape an additional veil in their Hands slot may attack with up to two weapons as a single attack action, though they take a –2 penalty on each attack roll when doing so. Eclipses who choose to shape an additional veil in their Feet slot increase their movement speed with any movement mode they possess by 20 feet. If the eclipse does not shape an additional veil in either their Hands or Feet slot they instead treat any other veils shaped in their Hands or Feet slot as though they are invested with 1 more point of essence than they actually are; this ability can allow the eclipse to exceed their normal maximum essence capacity with those veils.

Darklord

At 20th level the power that the eclipse has worked so hard to attain now flows freely through them and they are one with the darkness. The eclipse adds any veil with the darkness descriptor to their veil list and can shape and bind any such veil, even if they would not normally be able to shape or bind a veil to that slot (this includes veils that normally occupy unique slots, such as the vizier’s Ring slot or the daevic’s Blood slot). In addition, the eclipse becomes a creature of pure darkness; they no longer need to eat and breathe, do not die from old age, and do not accrue penalties to their physical ability scores for aging (though any penalties they have already accrued remain). In areas of dim light or darkness the eclipse gains a +2 circumstance bonus on all attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and to their AC and CMD. Finally, the eclipse gains the darksense ability of a nightshade, granting them true seeing in dim light and darkness. Regardless of light conditions, they can detect living creatures and their health within 60 feet, as blindsense with deathwatch continuously active. Mind blank and nondetection prevent the latter effect but not the true seeing effect.

Favored Class Bonuses

The following favored class options are available to all characters of the listed race who have eclipse as their favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the favored class reward.

Drow: Add +1/2 points of damage to all damage dealt by a veil effect, weapon-like veil, or companion creature from the Embodiment of Darkness veil set (this damage is of the same type as that dealt by the primary weapon or effect).

Dwarf: Add a +1/2 bonus on Disable Device checks made to disarm traps or open locks.

Fetchling: Add +1/2 point of damage to attacks made with weapon-like veils in areas of dim or darker lighting.

Gnome: Add a +1/2 bonus on Stealth checks made in areas of dim light or darkness.

Halfling: Gain a +1/4 luck bonus on saving throws made in areas of dim light or darkness.

Human: Gain +1/5 point of essence.

Orc: Add a +1/3 bonus to all CMB checks made to perform a grapple or trip combat maneuver.

Undine: Add +1/2 points of damage to all damage dealt by a veil effect or weapon-like veil from the Void’s Embrace veil set (this damage is of the same type as that dealt by the primary weapon or effect).